The Oak Openings; or the Bee-Hunter - Джеймс Фенимор Купер 9 стр.

In quitting Mackinac for Chicago, Waring had no very settled plan. His habits had completely put him out of favor at the former place; and a certain restlessness urged him to penetrate still farther into the wilderness. In all his migrations and wanderings the two devoted females followed his fortunes; the one because she was his wife, the other because she was his sister. When the canoe reached the mouth of the Kalamazoo, a gale of wind drove it into the river; and finding a deserted cabin, ready built, to receive him, Gershom landed, and had been busy with the rifle for the last fortnight, the time he had been on shore. Hearing from some voyageurs who had gone down the lake that a bee-hunter was up the river, he had followed the stream in its windings until he fell in with le Bourdon.

Such is an outline of the account which Whiskey Centre gave of himself. It is true, he said very little of his propensity to drink, but this his companion was enabled to conjecture from the context of his narrative, as well as from what he had seen. It was very evident to the bee-hunter, that the plans of both parties for the summer were about to be seriously deranged by the impending hostilities, and that some decided movement might be rendered necessary, even for the protection of their lives. This much he communicated to Gershom, who heard his opinions with interest, and a concern in behalf of his wife and sister that at least did some credit to his heart. For the first time in many months, indeed, Gershom was now PERFECTLY sober, a circumstance that was solely owing to his having had no access to liquor for eight-and-forty hours. With the return of a clear head, came juster notions of the dangers and difficulties in which he had involved the two self-devoted women who had accompanied him so far, and who really seemed ready to follow him in making the circuit of the earth.

Its troublesome times, exclaimed Whiskey Centre, when his companion had just ended one of his strong and lucid statements of the embarrassments that might environ them, ere they could get back to the settled portions of the country its troublesome times, truly! I see all you would say, Bourdon, and wonder I ever got my foot so deep into it, without thinkin of all, beforehand! The best on us will make mistakes, howsever, and I suppose Ive been called on to make mine, as well as another.

My trade speaks for itself, returned the bee-hunter, and any man can see why one who looks for bees must come where theyre to be found; but I will own, Gershom, that your speculation lies a little beyond my understanding. Now, you tell me you have two full barrels of whiskey

Had, Bourdon HAD one of them is pretty nearly half used, I am afeared.

Well, HAD, until you began to be your own customer. But here you are, squatted at the mouth of the Kalamazoo, with a barrel and a half of liquor, and nobody but yourself to drink it! Where the profits are to come from, exceeds Pennsylvany calculations; perhaps a Yankee can tell.

You forget the Injins. I met a man at Mackinaw, who only took out in his canoe ONE barrel, and he brought in skins enough to set up a grocery, at Detroit. But I was on the trail of the soldiers, and meant to make a business ont, at Fort Dearborn. What between the soldiers and the redskins, a man might sell gallons a day, and at fair prices.

Its a sorry business at the best, Whiskey; and now youre fairly sober, if youll take my advice youll remain so. Why not make up your mind, like a man, and vow youll never touch another drop.

Maybe I will, when these two barrels is emptied Ive often thought of doin some sich matter; and, agin and agin, has Dolly and Blossom advised me to fall into the plan; but its hard to give up old habits, all at once. If I could only taper off on a pint a day, for a year or so, I think I might come round in time. I know as well as you do, Bourdon, that sobriety is a good thing, and dissipation a bad thing; but its hard to give up all at once.

Lest the instructed reader should wonder at a mans using the term dissipation in a wilderness, it may be well to explain that, in common American parlance, dissipation has got to mean drunkenness. Perhaps half of the whole country, if told that a man, or a woman, might be exceedingly dissipated and never swallow anything stronger than water, would stoutly deny the justice of applying the word to such a person. This perversion of the meaning of a very common term has probably arisen from the circumstance that there is very little dissipation in the country that is not connected with hard drinking. A dissipated woman is a person almost unknown in America; or when the word is applied, it means a very different degree of misspending of time, from that which is understood by the use of the same reproach in older and more sophisticated states of society. The majority rules in this country, and with the majority excess usually takes this particular aspect; refinement having very little connection with the dissipation of the masses, anywhere.

The excuses of his companion, however, caused le Bourdon to muse, more than might otherwise have been the case, on Whiskey Centres condition. Apart from all considerations connected with the mans own welfare, and the happiness of his family, there were those which were inseparable from the common safety, in the present state of the country. Boden was a man of much decision and firmness of character, and he was clear-headed as to causes and consequences. The practice of living alone had induced in him the habits of reflection; and the self-reliance produced by his solitary life, a life of which he was fond almost to a passion, caused him to decide warily, but to act promptly. As they descended the river together, therefore, he went over the whole of Gershom Warings case and prospects, with great impartiality and care, and settled in his own mind what ought to be done, as well as the mode of doing it. He kept his own counsel, however, discussing all sorts of subjects that were of interest to men in their situation, as they floated down the stream, avoiding any recurrence to this theme, which was possibly of more importance to them both, just then, than any other that could be presented.

Chapter V

The canoe did not reach the mouth of the river until near evening of the third day of its navigation. It was not so much the distance, though that was considerable, as it was the obstacles that lay in the way, which brought the travellers to the end of their journey at so late a period. As they drew nearer and nearer to the place where Gershom had left his wife and sister, le Bourdon detected in his companion signs of an interest in the welfare of the two last, as well as a certain feverish uneasiness lest all might not be well with them, that said something in favor of his heart, whatever might be urged against his prudence and care in leaving them alone in so exposed a situation.

Im afeard a body dont think as much as he ought to do, when liquor is in him, said Whiskey Centre, just as the canoe doubled the last point, and the hut came into view; else I never could have left two women by them-selves in so lonesome a place. God be praised! there is the chiente at any rate; and theres a smoke comin out of it, if my eyes dont deceive me! Look, Bourdon, for I can scarcely see at all.

There is the house; and, as you say, there is certainly a smoke rising from it.

Chapter V

The canoe did not reach the mouth of the river until near evening of the third day of its navigation. It was not so much the distance, though that was considerable, as it was the obstacles that lay in the way, which brought the travellers to the end of their journey at so late a period. As they drew nearer and nearer to the place where Gershom had left his wife and sister, le Bourdon detected in his companion signs of an interest in the welfare of the two last, as well as a certain feverish uneasiness lest all might not be well with them, that said something in favor of his heart, whatever might be urged against his prudence and care in leaving them alone in so exposed a situation.

Im afeard a body dont think as much as he ought to do, when liquor is in him, said Whiskey Centre, just as the canoe doubled the last point, and the hut came into view; else I never could have left two women by them-selves in so lonesome a place. God be praised! there is the chiente at any rate; and theres a smoke comin out of it, if my eyes dont deceive me! Look, Bourdon, for I can scarcely see at all.

There is the house; and, as you say, there is certainly a smoke rising from it.

Theres comfort in that! exclaimed the truant husband and brother, with a sigh that seemed to relieve a very loaded breast. Yes, theres comfort in that! If theres a fire, there must be them that lighted it; and a fire at this season, too, says that theres somethin to eat, I should be sorry, Bourdon, to think Id left the women folks without food; though, to own the truth, I dont remember whether I did or not.

The man who drinks, Gershom, has commonly but a very poor memory.

Thats true yes, Ill own that; and I wish it warnt as true as it is; but reason and strong drink do NOT travel far in company

Gershom suddenly ceased speaking; dropping his paddle like one beset by a powerless weakness. The bee-hunter saw that he was overcome by some unexpected occurrence, and that the mans feelings were keenly connected with the cause, whatever that might be. Looking eagerly around in quest of the explanation, le Bourdon saw a female standing on a point of land that commanded a view of the river and its banks for a considerable distance, unequivocally watching the approach of the canoe.

There she is, said Gershom, in a subdued tone thats Dolly; and there she has been, Ill engage, half the time of my absence, waitin to get the first glimpse of my miserable body, as it came back to her. Sich is woman, Bourdon; and God forgive me, if I have ever forgotten their natur, when I was bound to remember it. But we all have our weak moments, at times, and I trust mine will not be accounted agin me more than them of other men.

This is a beautiful sight, Gershom, and it almost makes me your friend! The man for whom a woman can feel so much concern that a woman nay, women; for you tell me your sister is one of the family but the man whom DECENT women can follow to a place like this, must have some good pints about him. That woman is a-weepin; and it must be for joy at your return.

Twould be jist like Dolly to do so shes done it before, and would be likely to do so agin, answered Gershom, nearly choked by the effort he made to speak without betraying his own emotion. Put the canoe into the pint, and let me land there. I must go up and say a kind word to poor Dolly; while you can paddle on, and let Blossom know Im near at hand.

The bee-hunter complied in silence, casting curious glances upward at the woman while doing so, in order to ascertain what sort of a female Whiskey Centre could possibly have for a wife. To his surprise, Dorothy Waring was not only decently, but she was neatly clad, appearing as if she had studiously attended to her personal appearance, in the hope of welcoming her wayward and unfortunate husband back to his forest home. This much le Bourdon saw by a hasty glance as his companion landed, for a feeling of delicacy prevented him from taking a longer look at the woman. As Gershom ascended the bank to meet his wife, le Bourdon paddled on, and landed just below the grove in which was the chiente. It might have been his long exclusion from all of the other sex, and most especially from that portion of it which retains its better looks, but the being which now met the bee-hunter appeared to him to belong to another world, rather than to that in which he habitually dwelt. As this was Margery Waring, who was almost uniformly called Blossom by her acquaintances, and who is destined to act an important part in this legend of the openings, it may be well to give a brief description of her age, attire, and personal appearance, at the moment when she was first seen by le Bourdon.

In complexion, color of the hair, and outline of face, Margery Waring bore a strong family resemblance to her brother. In spite of exposure, and the reflection of the suns rays from the water of the lake, however, HER skin was of a clear, transparent white, such as one might look for in a drawing-room, but hardly expect to find in a wilderness; while the tint of her lips, cheeks, and, in a diminished degree, of her chin and ears, were such as one who wielded a pencil might long endeavor to catch without succeeding. Her features had the chiselled outline which was so remarkable in her brother; while in HER countenance, in addition to the softened expression of her sex and years, there was nothing to denote any physical or moral infirmity, to form a drawback to its witchery and regularity. Her eyes were blue, and her hair as near golden as human tresses well could be. Exercise, a life of change, and of dwelling much in the open air, had given to this unusually charming girl not only health, but its appearance. Still, she was in no respect coarse, or had anything in the least about her that indicated her being accustomed to toil, with some slight exception in her hands, perhaps, which were those of a girl who did not spare herself, when there was an opportunity to be of use. In this particular, the vagrant life of her brother had possibly been of some advantage to her, as it had prevented her being much employed in the ordinary toil of her condition in life. Still, Margery Waring had that happy admixture of delicacy and physical energy, which is, perhaps, oftener to be met in the American girl of her class, than in the girl of almost any other nation; and far oftener than in the young American of her sex, who is placed above the necessity of labor.

As a stranger approached her, the countenance of this fair creature expressed both surprise and satisfaction; surprise that any one should have been met by Gershom, in such a wilderness, and satisfaction that the stranger proved to be a white man, and seemingly one who did not drink.

You are Blossom, said the bee-hunter, taking the hand of the half-reluctant girl, in a way so respectful and friendly that she could not refuse it, even while she doubted the propriety of thus receiving an utter stranger the Blossom of whom Gershom Waring speaks so often, and so affectionately?

You are, then, my brothers friend, answered Margery, smiling so sweetly, that le Bourdon gazed on her with delight. We are SO glad that he has come back! Five terrible nights have sister and I been here alone, and we have believed every bush was a red man!

That danger is over, now, Blossom; but there is still an enemy near you that must be overcome.